In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

published:26 Sep 2017

views:5047

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

published:26 Oct 2017

views:2364

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

published:17 Jan 2013

views:17056

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

published:06 Oct 2017

views:2710

In this video, I will discuss how Joseph Smith got possession of this stone, how he used it, and how it came into the possession of the LDS Church.

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

published:29 Dec 2013

views:14882

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Dan Vogel

Daniel Arlon Vogel (born 1955) is an independent researcher, writer, and author on a number of works that include Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet. and is most known for his work on Early Mormon Documents.

In this Smith biography, Vogel argues that Joseph Smith was a pious fraud—that Smith essentially invented his religious claims for what he believed were noble, faith-promoting purposes. Vogel identifies the roots of the pious fraud in the conflict between members of the Smith family, who were divided between the skepticism and universalism of Joseph Smith, Sr., and the more mainstream Protestant faith of Lucy Mack Smith. Vogel interweaves the history of Joseph Smith with interpretation of the Book of Mormon, which is read as springing from the young man's psychology and experiences.

Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious leader and founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. When he was twenty-four, Smith published the Book of Mormon; by the time of his death fourteen years later, he had attracted tens of thousands of followers and founded a religion and religious culture that continues to the present.

Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, but by 1817, he had moved with his family to the burned-over district of western New York, a site of intense religious revivalism during the Second Great Awakening. According to Smith, he experienced a series of visions, including one in which he saw "two personages" (presumably God the Father and Jesus Christ) and others in which an angel named Moroni directed him to a buried book of golden plates inscribed with a Judeo-Christian history of an ancient American civilization. In 1830, Smith published what he said was an English translation of these plates, the Book of Mormon. The same year he organized the Church of Christ, calling it a restoration of the early Christian church. Members of the church were later called "Latter Day Saints", or "Mormons".

According to Smith's account and the book's narrative, the Book of Mormon was originally written in otherwise unknown characters referred to as "reformed Egyptian" engraved on golden plates. Smith said that the last prophet to contribute to the book, a man named Moroni, buried it in a hill in present-day New York, then returned to earth in 1827 as an angel, revealing the location of the book to Smith, and instructing him to translate it into English for use in the restoration of Christ's true church in the latter days. Critics claim that it was fabricated by Smith, drawing on material and ideas from contemporary 19th-century works rather than translating an ancient record.

According to the account Smith told in 1838, he went to the woods to pray about which church to join but fell into the grip of an evil power that nearly overcame him. At the last moment, he was rescued by two shining "personages" (implied to be Jesus and God the Father) who hovered above him. One of the beings told Smith not to join any existing churches because all taught incorrect doctrines.

Smith wrote several accounts of the vision beginning in 1832, but none of the accounts was published until the 1840s. Though Smith had described other visions, the First Vision was essentially unknown to early Latter Day Saints; Smith's experience did not become important in the Latter Day Saint movement until the early-20th century, when it became the embodiment of the Latter Day Saint restoration. The First Vision also corroborated distinctive Mormon doctrines such as the bodily nature of God the Father and the uniqueness of Mormonism as the only true path to salvation.

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 1)-Dan Vogel

In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

45:08

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

57:27

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 2)-Dan Vogel

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

56:20

Joseph Smith's Seer Stone Revealed-Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith's Seer Stone Revealed-Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith's Seer Stone Revealed-Dan Vogel

In this video, I will discuss how Joseph Smith got possession of this stone, how he used it, and how it came into the possession of the LDS Church.

Book of Mormon Characters Examined - Dan Vogel

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

46:43

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Book of Mormon Witnesses - Pt 1 - The Three - Dan Vogel

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 1)-Dan Vogel

In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

published: 26 Sep 2017

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

published: 26 Oct 2017

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 2)-Dan Vogel

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

published: 06 Oct 2017

Joseph Smith's Seer Stone Revealed-Dan Vogel

In this video, I will discuss how Joseph Smith got possession of this stone, how he used it, and how it came into the possession of the LDS Church.

Book of Mormon Characters Examined - Dan Vogel

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

published: 29 Dec 2013

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Book of Mormon Witnesses - Pt 1 - The Three - Dan Vogel

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core sto...

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the averag...

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

Book of Mormon Characters Examined - Dan Vogel

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Josep...

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in...

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

Book of Mormon Witnesses - Pt 1 - The Three - Dan Vogel

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

published: 03 Jun 2013

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Joseph Smith Makes a Sample of Characters - Dan Vogel

In this video—the first of a three-part presentation dealing with the Book of Mormon characters—I discuss Martin Harris's request for a sample of characters, his unsuccessful search for verification, and Joseph Smith's recovery from this failure.
In subsequent videos, I will discuss the characters themselves, especially various proposals for possible sources for them, and finally how I think they were created.
Part Two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPFKZ2E4MM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

Religious Seekers and Mormon Authority Claims Dan Vogel

From its inception Mormonism's restoration claims were radical in nature. It was to be more than a restoration of correct doctrine or a reorganization of church government. The Mormon restoration was to be a return of the spiritual power and authority of God through apostles. Because of such radical restoration claims many Mormons tend to see their religion as springing spontaneously out of the American wilderness without roots to any previous religious movement. My purpose here is to introduce my listeners to various groups and individuals who seemed to have anticipated the kind of religious and spiritual restoration Mormonism represented.
Based on Dan Vogel, ReligiousSeekers and the Advent of Mormonism (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988). Online text available at http://signaturebo...

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the averag...

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in...

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

In this video—the first of a three-part presentation dealing with the Book of Mormon characters—I discuss Martin Harris's request for a sample of characters, his unsuccessful search for verification, and Joseph Smith's recovery from this failure.
In subsequent videos, I will discuss the characters themselves, especially various proposals for possible sources for them, and finally how I think they were created.
Part Two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPFKZ2E4MM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

In this video—the first of a three-part presentation dealing with the Book of Mormon characters—I discuss Martin Harris's request for a sample of characters, his unsuccessful search for verification, and Joseph Smith's recovery from this failure.
In subsequent videos, I will discuss the characters themselves, especially various proposals for possible sources for them, and finally how I think they were created.
Part Two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPFKZ2E4MM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

Religious Seekers and Mormon Authority Claims Dan Vogel

From its inception Mormonism's restoration claims were radical in nature. It was to be more than a restoration of correct doctrine or a reorganization of church...

From its inception Mormonism's restoration claims were radical in nature. It was to be more than a restoration of correct doctrine or a reorganization of church government. The Mormon restoration was to be a return of the spiritual power and authority of God through apostles. Because of such radical restoration claims many Mormons tend to see their religion as springing spontaneously out of the American wilderness without roots to any previous religious movement. My purpose here is to introduce my listeners to various groups and individuals who seemed to have anticipated the kind of religious and spiritual restoration Mormonism represented.
Based on Dan Vogel, ReligiousSeekers and the Advent of Mormonism (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988). Online text available at http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=4764

From its inception Mormonism's restoration claims were radical in nature. It was to be more than a restoration of correct doctrine or a reorganization of church government. The Mormon restoration was to be a return of the spiritual power and authority of God through apostles. Because of such radical restoration claims many Mormons tend to see their religion as springing spontaneously out of the American wilderness without roots to any previous religious movement. My purpose here is to introduce my listeners to various groups and individuals who seemed to have anticipated the kind of religious and spiritual restoration Mormonism represented.
Based on Dan Vogel, ReligiousSeekers and the Advent of Mormonism (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988). Online text available at http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=4764

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 1)-Dan Vogel

In recent decades the Joseph Smith’s First Vision has been hotly debated by students of early Mormon history, with critics on one side pointing to contradictions and anachronisms as evidence that the vision was a later invention, and apologists on the other side constructing clever arguments designed to explain away the problems
In this three-part video I will discuss these debates, and while I will side with the critics, I want to push beyond simply identifying contradictions and anachronisms and explore the historical implications of that evidence with the view of uncovering the core story and the possible event in Joseph Smith’s life upon which the First Vision story may have been based.

45:08

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 acc...

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 3) - Dan Vogel

In the previous two videos I discussed some of the anachronisms in Joseph Smith’s 1838 account of his First Vision. In this video, I try to uncover the core story and explore some of the reasons he embellished his accounts.

57:27

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordaine...

Evolution of Mormon Authority Claims Pt 1 Dan Vogel

When Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery announced in the mid-1830s that they had been ordained by John the Baptist in May 1829 and subsequently by ancient apostles Peter, James, and John, it was a surprising disclosure—even for those who had been followers from the beginning. My purpose here is to discuss Joseph Smith's original authority claims, to reconstruct key changes, and to suggest why the stories of angelic ordination were introduced.
This is part one of two parts.

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

42:39

Joseph Smith's Motives - The Prophet Puzzle - Dan Vogel

This video is based on a paper delivered at the Mormon History Association in Snowbird, Ut...

Joseph Smith's First Vision (Pt 2)-Dan Vogel

Since 1967, when the ReverendWesley P. Walters announced that he could find no evidence of a revival in Palmyra in 1820, no aspect of Joseph Smith’s First Vision has generated more debate. In this video, I will challenge the apologists and argue that their triumphal declarations about the Reverend Walters are premature.

56:20

Joseph Smith's Seer Stone Revealed-Dan Vogel

In this video, I will discuss how Joseph Smith got possession of this stone, how he used i...

Book of Mormon Characters Examined - Dan Vogel

Since the gold plates are not available for examination, the specimen of characters that Joseph Smith produced is the closest we will ever come to testing Joseph Smith's claim of having translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates. Are these characters traceable to any ancient language? Or are they the product of Joseph Smith's imagination?
This video is part two of a three-part examination of the Book of Mormon characters.
Part One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xgckv-uLPw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

46:43

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates,...

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Book of Mormon Witnesses - Pt 1 - The Three - Dan Vogel

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

27:07

Locations of Joseph Smith's Treasure Quests pt 1 Dan Vogel

In this two-part video, I will discuss (in the present video) Joseph Smith's treasure-seek...

Book of Mormon Witnesses - Pt 1 - The Three - Dan Vogel

Since its publication in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been accompanied by the Testimony of Three Witnesses claiming to have seen the an angel with the plates and the Testimony of Eight Witnesses claiming that Joseph Smith showed them the plates, which they were allowed to handle. However, subsequent statements by members of both groups of witnesses indicate that the published Testimonies can be misleading and that using them to recreate the historical events behind them is a mistake. In fact, there is significant evidence that the experiences of the Three Witnesses was more subjective than their published Testimony implies and that the Eight Witnesses’ examination of the plates was not completely natural and physical.

27:07

Locations of Joseph Smith's Treasure Quests pt 1 Dan Vogel

In this two-part video, I will discuss (in the present video) Joseph Smith's treasure-seek...

The purpose of this video will be to reconstruct the original story and restore it to its folk magic and treasure seeking context—a part of the story the average Mormon is woefully unaware.
I do not use the term "occult" to imply Joseph Smith was a Satanist, but rather that he practiced a heterodox form of Christianity that included what might be termed white or Christian magic.

46:43

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates,...

Joseph Smith Brings the Plates Home - Dan Vogel

Joseph Smith claimed he translated the Book of Mormon from anciently engraved gold plates, which he took from a stone box in the side of a hill near his home in Manchester, New York. Claiming that he was forbidden by God to show them to anyone, Smith kept the plates carefully wrapped in a cloth or concealed in a wooden box. Believers accept this as God's way of requiring faith, whereas skeptics suspect Smith constructed a set of plates that couldn't pass visual inspection. This is the story of Joseph Smith's bringing the plates home in September 1827.

Joseph Smith Makes a Sample of Characters - Dan Vogel

In this video—the first of a three-part presentation dealing with the Book of Mormon characters—I discuss Martin Harris's request for a sample of characters, his unsuccessful search for verification, and Joseph Smith's recovery from this failure.
In subsequent videos, I will discuss the characters themselves, especially various proposals for possible sources for them, and finally how I think they were created.
Part Two
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMPFKZ2E4MM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUE7-EZ_ANHRkYHv7wCUTt0Q

Religious Seekers and Mormon Authority Claims Dan Vogel

From its inception Mormonism's restoration claims were radical in nature. It was to be more than a restoration of correct doctrine or a reorganization of church government. The Mormon restoration was to be a return of the spiritual power and authority of God through apostles. Because of such radical restoration claims many Mormons tend to see their religion as springing spontaneously out of the American wilderness without roots to any previous religious movement. My purpose here is to introduce my listeners to various groups and individuals who seemed to have anticipated the kind of religious and spiritual restoration Mormonism represented.
Based on Dan Vogel, ReligiousSeekers and the Advent of Mormonism (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1988). Online text available at http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=4764

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It turns out that a theory explaining how we might detect parallel universes and prediction for the end of the world was proposed and completed by physicist Stephen Hawking shortly before he died ... &nbsp;. According to reports, the work predicts that the universe would eventually end when stars run out of energy ... ....

In another blow to the Trump administration Monday, the US Supreme Court decided Arizona must continue to issue state driver’s licenses to so-called Dreamer immigrants and refused to hear an effort by the state to challenge the Obama-era program that protects hundreds of thousands of young adults brought into the country illegally as children, Reuters reported ... – WN.com. Jack Durschlag....

Britain’s Royal Astronomical Society announced Monday that an object called 1I/2017 (‘Oumuamua) – the first confirmed asteroid known to have journeyed here from outside our solar system – most likely came from from a binary star system, or two stars orbiting a common center of gravity, EarthSky reported ... They looked at how common these star systems are in the galaxy ... ....

Uber announced on Monday that it was pulling all of its self-driving cars from public roads in Arizona and San Francisco, Toronto, and Pittsburgh after a female pedestrian was reportedly killed after being struck by an autonomous Uber vehicle in Tempe, according to The Verge.&nbsp; ... “We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation of this incident.” ... "Some incredibly sad news out of Arizona....

"Selfie's have increasingly become a normal way for people to express themselves and their experiences, only not all selfies are created equal," said DanVogel, a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada. "Unlike other apps that enhance a photo after you take it, this system gives direction, meaning the user is actually learning why their photo will be better," said Vogel....

"Selfie's have increasingly become a normal way for people to express themselves and their experiences, only not all selfies are created equal," said DanVogel, a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada. "Unlike other apps that enhance a photo after you take it, this system gives direction, meaning the user is actually learning why their photo will be better," said Vogel....

“Selfie’s have increasingly become a normal way for people to express themselves and their experiences, only not all selfies are created equal,” said DanVogel, Professor of Computer Science at University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. “Unlike other apps that enhance a photo after you take it, this system gives direction, meaning the user is actually learning why their photo will be better,” Vogel said....

"Selfie's have increasingly become a normal way for people to express themselves and their experiences, only not all selfies are created equal," said DanVogel, a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada ... In developing the algorithm, Vogel and Qifan Li, a former Master's student at Waterloo, used three dimensional (3D) digital scans of "average" looking people....

WESTFARGO -- State health officials could not pinpoint the source of an E. coli outbreak linked to the Red River ValleyFair in July, but they did find that more than 60 people got sick, including a toddler whose mother is now planning a lawsuit ... Hageman said the complaint was served on the fair's attorney, DanVogel of Fargo, but not yet filed in Cass CountyDistrict Court. Vogel said he has received the complaint and will review it ... ....